Based on a cross-sectional survey of 160 researchers in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, this paper investigates the status quo of researchers' awareness regarding scientific data sharing and publishing, as well as pathways for improvement. It elucidates the extent of understanding to the concepts related to scientific data at the present stage for the Chinese researchers in the traditional Chinese medicine field, clarifies their awareness level, and examines the means and approaches through which researchers acquire relevant knowledge. The results indicate that the respondents’ cognition of scientific data is relatively superficial. The storage and regulation of scientific data are relatively simple and primitive. The respondents exhibit caution regarding sharing and publishing of scientific data. The knowledge accumulation and awareness of scientific data sharing and publishing primarily stem from practical experience. To enhance openness in scientific data sharing and publishing, three strategies are proposed in this paper. First, it is important to leverage the leading role of editors in the scientific, technological, and medical (STM) journals to foster researchers' understanding of scientific data and optimize their data management practices. Close communication between editors and researchers in daily work can provide researchers with relevant knowledge of scientific data, while editors' requirements for scientific data management can encourage researchers to upgrade their data management models. Second, various forms of training for researchers should be implemented to gradually improve researchers' cautious attitude towards open data, and expand data-sharing and publishing practices. The sharing and publishing of scientific data rely on the understanding and recognition of frontline researchers. Increasing the frequency of training and enriching the training topics can enhance researchers' engagement and ultimately influence publishing practices. Third, it is essential to address the interests that researchers prioritize, strengthen practical experience from specific case to applications in the whole area, thereby enabling individuals to continuously accumulate relevant knowledge, fostering the awakening of open consciousness, and promoting the sharing of scientific data. Scientific research has entered the era of big data, and the fourth-generation data-intensive scientific research paradigm, centered on data, has emerged. The sharing and publishing of scientific data has become an inevitable trend to promote global multilateral cooperation and build Community of Shared Future for Mankind. Through this cross-sectional survey, the Chinese researchers’ understanding to the concepts related to scientific data is clarified; their awareness of scientific data sharing and publishing is assessed; and the pathways for researchers to acquire relevant knowledge and improve their corresponding awareness are proposed, so as to provide data-driven support for the further expansion of scientific data sharing and publishing practices. Moreover, the survey process itself serves as a measure to publicize scientific data knowledge and promote the development of open science. Besides, editors of STM journals will help advance the growth of scientific data initiatives in China in the era of open science and contribute to promoting the progress of open science in China.